‘Friends of Syria’ disappointed by Annan plan

10 April 2012 | 05:30 Code : 1899823 Latest Headlines
By Seyyed Morteza Nemat-Zadeh
TEHRAN, April 8 (MNA) – The current situation in Syria and the gradual easing of international pressure on the country should be regarded as a major success for President Bashar al-Assad and his government. Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan is pressing with his initiative to restore order in the country.
However, the western axis, led by the United States, is still looking for an opportunity to expand the chaos in Syria and pave the way for the collapse of the system. In fact, they have centered their efforts on persuading Turkey to implement a similar scenario to what occurred in Libya.

However, Assad has successfully brought the situation under control and he is trying to restore his tarnished image at the international level. Annan’s plan is viewed by many as the best solution to the country’s current situation because it can properly serve the interests of both the Syrian government and the opposition.

The recent so-called “Friends of Syria” conference in Istanbul was another attempt by the West and its regional proxies to undermine Annan’s initiative, trigger more violence and spill more blood on the streets.

Assad is fully prepared to cooperate with the UN peace observers and pave the way for ceasefire. This will certainly be a long step towards improving the security situation in Syria and it will have a positive impact on the final reports submitted to the UN.

Assignment of Annan to the peace-keeping mission can not be defined as fully endorsed by the U.S. and allies. China and Russia had their own considerations in choosing the experienced diplomat. Thus, Annan can enjoy the assistance provided by Syria’s major allies in the region, which helps him gain more tangible results in creating peace in the country. Bearing all this in mind, Annan’s initiative can be described as a major source of disappointment for the so-called friends of Syria.

Seyyed Morteza Nemat-Zadeh is an expert on Middle East who formerly served as Iran’s cultural attaché in Syria